It Just Won't Quit
by Red Witch
Summary: Another set of events shake Shane Gooseman's life up again. The guy never gets a break does he?
1. Chapter 1

**The disclaimer saying that I don't own any Galaxy Rangers characters has disappeared to another galaxy. Just another fic that will change Shane's life again. **

**It Just Won't Quit**

The lights were out and everything was quiet. But Shane Gooseman knew he wasn't alone as he stepped into the room.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone shouted as the lights went on. Shane found himself in a room filled with balloons, a cake and almost every friend he had.

"Happy twenty first birthday Shane," Niko kissed him on the cheek. Shane couldn't help but blush.

"Congratulations Gooseman, for today you are legally a man," Doc quipped.

"Legal schmegal, I've been an adult since I was **thirteen,"** Shane grunted.

"Come on Goose. Twenty one is a big milestone," Zach smiled.

"I'm a Supertrooper Zachery. Every day I'm not frozen is a milestone," Shane gave him a look.

"Boy you know how to be the life of the party don't you?" Bubblehead quipped. "Cake! I want cake!"

Shane then noticed a large pile of presents on a table. "What's all that?" He blinked.

"Those are your birthday presents silly," Niko laughed.

"This is all for **me?**" Shane was surprised.

"Of course," Niko said. "See that present over there is from me."

_And I'll give you the rest of your birthday present later tonight_, Niko suggestively touched his mind.

"I'm really starting to like birthdays," Shane smiled to himself.

"Congratulations on your day of birth Ranger Gooseman!" Buzzwang chirped.

"Hear hear!" Zozo raised a glass. Several other rangers were there as well. Rangers who were friendly with Shane.

"This is something," Shane was a little embarrassed.

"I do believe the Goose is blushing," Doc smiled to Princess Maya of Tarkon.

"I believe he is," Maya smiled.

"Maya? You're here too?" Shane was surprised.

"Of course I am Shane," Maya gave him a hug. "You've always been a good friend to me and my planet."

"Oh there's a card from Billy on the table," Doc pointed. "He couldn't make it because he's doing schoolwork."

"And a few other family members as well," Waldo smiled cryptically. Shane knew he meant the other Supertrooper kids.

"Happy Birthday Goose!" Eliza Foxx smiled as she gave him a kiss.

"Come on Birthday Boy, let's get on with opening the presents!" Doc cheered.

Shane never thought he could be this happy. He was alive and with his friends. That meant more to him than any material things or cake. But still it was nice to open his gifts.

Even though some of them were a little odd.

"A spinner wrench?" Shane looked at one.

"Bubblehead suggested you needed one," Buzzwang said.

"That's because he stole mine. In fact…This one is mine!" Shane gave Bubblehead a look.

"He he he…" Bubblehead giggled.

"If you don't mind I'd like to speak to Gooseman in private for a moment," Commander Walsh spoke to the others. Shane smiled to his friends and followed Commander Walsh to the balcony outside.

Both men stood there looking at the view quietly for a moment. "We've been through a lot together over the years, haven't we Gooseman?"

"We have sir."

"Twenty one years," Walsh shook his head. "I can't believe you're twenty one years old today. I remember the day you were born as if it were yesterday. When you first came out of the test tube I wasn't even sure if you would survive twenty one days let alone…You were so small. I could hold you almost in the palm of my hand."

He gave Shane a once over. "And **now **look at you. Once your growth spurt finally kicked in you grew like a giraffe!"

"Commander…" Shane felt a little embarrassed.

"I've watched you grow from a scrawny little runt into a full fledged Galaxy Ranger," Walsh smiled with pride. "I've never been prouder of anyone in my life. That's why I want you to have this."

He handed Shane a small box. "Go ahead, open it," Walsh told him.

Shane did so, revealing a men's antique silver watch. "This watch…" Walsh smiled. "Belonged to my father, and his father and…Well it's been in my family for over a hundred and thirty years. It's been revamped and refitted with a more reliable power source since it was first made but I guarantee you it still works perfectly."

"Commander I can't take this…" Shane was stunned.

"Shane I don't have any other family to give it to," Walsh said with a sad smile. "You are the closest thing I have to a son. It's yours."

Shane was truly touched. "I…I don't know what to say. No one's ever…Thank you Commander. Thank you."

The Commander's communicator on his wrist rang. "Commander. There's a problem on level one. You'd better bring Ranger Gooseman with you. He'd want to see this."

"All right," Walsh nodded. "We'll take the elevator."

However once the two men made their way into the elevator something went wrong. A shock of electricity burst out from the floor, knocking both men unconscious immediately. When the elevator opened in the basement, a shadowy figure stood over them.

"Perfect…Just where I want them…"

Several hours later Shane slowly regained consciousness. Almost immediately he realized that he was in a starship due to the engine's humming on the floor beneath him. Groggily he looked around and saw a familiar figure standing before him. "Oh great…"

"Hello Runt," Stingray smirked. "Nice to see you again."

**Oh boy things are going to get wild aren't they? Read on to find out what happens next! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Quit II**

"Hello Runt," Stingray sneered. "Looks like our paths cross again."

"What the hell do you want Stingray?" Shane growled.

"Your cooperation, if you want to see your precious Commander Walsh again," Stingray snarled.

"Just what do you mean by that?" Shane stood up. "Start talking before I break you in half!"

"Just try me!" Stingray pulled out a knife. "Come on Runt! Attack me if you have the guts!"

"I wouldn't be bragging about guts if I were you!" Shane snarled. "At least I don't have to knock out my opponent from behind!"

"And I don't beg for special little treats from my **master!**" Stingray held Commander Walsh's watch in his hand.

"Always have to take things that don't belong to you, do ya Stingray?" Shane snarled.

"You always were Walsh's little **pet**," Stingray hissed in disgust as he threw the watch on the floor and broke it with his heel.

That did it.

"Commander Walsh is my **friend**," Shane snarled as he lunged at Stingray and disarmed him with a swift punch. Then he grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket. "He stood by me when **everyone** else **abandoned** me! And I mean **everyone!**"

"Abandoned you? You **betrayed** us!" Stingray hissed in rage. "You helped them gas us and then you turned on your own kind!"

"That's not how it happened and you **know** it!" Shane shouted.

"All I know is that you turned on us and stayed with your human master like a good little **pet**," Stingray struggled with him. "You even get nice little treats from him and a pat on the head. You're so soft it makes me **sick!"**

Before he knew it Stingray was on the floor and Shane was on top of him, holding his own knife to his throat. "I'm not **soft** enough to forget my training, unlike you! I'm disappointed Stingray. Back at Wolf Den you **never** would have fallen so fast for an easy move like that!"

"I'm not as easily beaten as all that," Stingray hissed. "If you wanna see your precious Commander again you'd better **back off!"**

"WHERE IS HE?" Shane viciously started to strangle Stingray with one hand. "Start talking or I start hacking off body parts! Maybe I should start with one of those fire blasting eyes of yours?"

"You don't have the guts you…AAAAAHHH!" Stingray yelled as Shane gave him a good stab in the shoulder.

"Stop whining! Your bio-defenses are already taking care of it!" Shane snapped. "Next time it goes into the eye! Where is he?"

"Darkstar wouldn't want you to do that," Stingray played the only card he had.

"Well she's not here is she?" Shane growled. Then he realized something. "Wait a minute…If she's not here…Where is she? Come on Stingray you two never go anywhere without each other. So where is she?"

"She…She's in trouble…Big trouble…" Stingray admitted.

Shane let him go. "What sort of trouble?"

"Kilbane's holding her hostage," Stingray growled as he held his sore shoulder. "Says he won't give her back until I bring you to him."

"What?" Shane gasped. "How did that…?"

"Look it happened so fast! I couldn't do anything!" Stingray protested. "One minute we're just minding our own business and the next Kilbane pops out of nowhere. Took us by surprise, ranting and raving all about you. Told me the only chance I had of getting her back was if I brought you to him."

"Yeah and ten seconds after you deliver me to him he'll gut Darkstar and stab you in the back!" Shane snapped.

"Don't you think I **know that?"** Stingray yelled. "That is the **only **reason you are still conscious Gooseman! I need you to help me get her back."

"You could have just **asked** me," Shane glared at him. "This is Darkstar we're talking about. You didn't have to…"

"Supertroopers don't ask, they **take!**" Stingray snapped at him. "Or have you forgotten that? Besides I wanted to get a few licks of revenge in on Walsh myself. Not everything is about **you **ya know?"

"Revenge?" Shane was shocked. "Stingray he got you out of…"

"Yeah out of the Australian Supertrooper base and into Wolf Den," Stingray sneered. "That's like pulling me out of the frying pan and into a slightly warm oven! Besides I didn't say the revenge was for **me!**"

"What do you mean?" Shane asked.

"Nothing," Stingray grunted. "Look the point is if I don't do something Darkstar is as good as dead! And if she dies at least I'll take Walsh with her!"

Shane let him go. "If she's hurt because of you…Or if you've ever…"

"If you think I'd lay a hand on her…" Stingray hissed. "Then you don't know anything about us at all! I'd **die** before I'd…"

"More like you'd die because if you did do something stupid like that she'd beat the crap out of you," Shane interrupted.

"You have **no idea** how moody that woman can get," Stingray shuddered. "The past few months have been a bloody nightmare especially…Even she couldn't handle Kilbane on her own and the only bloke who can pummel him into submission is you!"

"Nice to feel wanted."

"Believe me Gooseman, Kilbane is the **only** one of us that wants you," Stingray sneered as he got up. "Don't think I never noticed you making goo goo eyes at my girl! Admit it Gooseman, you've always loved her but never had the guts to say so!"

"That's because I didn't know what love was then," Shane told him. "None of us did."

"Humph! Yeah I bet you'd **love** it if I didn't make it! Then you could ride in and try to sweep her off her feet! That's why I got Commander Walsh stashed away somewhere nice and tight and he ain't on this ship so don't get any funny ideas into your head! He's my insurance policy not only to make sure you don't go running off to BETA but to make sure you don't try anything funny to get **my **girl!"

"You really think that little of me Stingray?" Shane spat.

"I think you're a smoother operator than you pretend to be," Stingray snarled. "That business on Nebraska…I got your message loud and clear. You never intended to bring us in because if you did, that would be two steps closer to the Cryocrypt for you and you knew it! And what's worse is that you made Darkstar think you're some kind of bloody hero doing it! Oh you are a slick one, I'll give you that! Admit it, Runt. You still want her don't you?"

"No," Shane told him. "I love her enough to let her go."

"What does **that **mean?"

"It means," Shane looked at him right in the eyes. "That even though I don't know what the hell she sees in a moron like you, I love her enough to respect her choice. If you're what she wants then I'm happy to step aside. For some damn reason you make her happier than I do and I have no choice but to accept it."

"You actually mean that don't you?" Stingray frowned. "You'd just walk away from something you want?"

"Yes."

"You're not a Supertrooper any more," Stingray snarled. "Stars you don't even **smell **like one of us! You've got some kind of weird flower scent mixed in you! I don't even know what that is! But it's not like any of us!"

"You're right," Shane looked at him. "I'm **not **the man I used to be. I'm not a Supertrooper anymore. I had no choice but to change into…Into something else. So I could survive."

"Hmph!" Stingray snorted. "You did **more** than **survive** did you?"

"Yes I did," Shane looked at him. "I'm not apologizing for that. I'm proud of what I am."

"What a **traitor?**" Stingray sneered.

"That won't work anymore Stingray," Shane looked him in the eye. "The gas made you all unstable. And we all remember from our training that an unstable Supertrooper is a threat to everyone, even himself. I admit I still feel a little pain over what I did, but I know I did what had to be done. There was no other choice."

"Oh and by the way," Shane added. "You **knew** what I was going to do didn't you? And you didn't exactly raise the alarm! I may have turned against the Supertroopers, but at least I did it to protect people! You turned your back on them to protect **yourself!"**

"And Darkstar," Stingray frowned. "Don't think I **didn't **notice you waited until we were out the door to attack."

"Like I said, that's the **one** thing we agree on," Shane let out a breath. "Protecting her."

"Right," Stingray grunted. "So do we have a deal?"

"Like I have a choice?" Shane remarked. "But let's get this straight Stingray, don't even **think **of double crossing me. You couldn't beat me back on Nebraska and I'm ten times stronger now! If anything happens to Commander Walsh…Darkstar or not I will tear you apart with my bare hands! Got it?"

"Yeah I got it," Stingray snarled. "And the same goes for you! If you double cross us and Darkstar gets hurt…"

"Don't bother, I know that song and dance!" Shane interrupted. "So I take it the plan is a sneak attack?"

"Bingo," Stingray snorted. "Kilbane would never **dream** of us teaming up together to take him down!"

"Well you always did have a little more imagination than he did," Shane agreed. "Then again so does a rock. So where is he keeping Darkstar?"

"He's got a hideout on this moon in the Denares System," Stingray told him.

"Then that's where we're headed," Shane said as he picked up the remnants of the broken watch in his hand.

**Next: Showdown! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Quit III**

"It figures Kilbane would hide out on a swamp world near Tortuna," Shane snarled as the two Supertroopers made their way to Kilbane's hideout. They had parked the starship a short distance away and cloaked so Kilbane wouldn't know they were coming.

"When I get my hands on him I'm gonna blast his freaking head off," Stingray snarled. For emphasis he took off his shades for a moment and blasted a nearby tree.

"Cool it Stingray! You want him to hear us coming?" Shane snapped. A loud noise startled him.

"I got it!" Stingray took the front and prepared to blast it. "Oh it's just a dumb bird!"

Shane looked at a small blue and green bird with it's head stuck in a plastic beer holder. There was more trash strewn around. "Looks like Kilbane's been here."

"The guy always was a slob," Stingray snorted. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not gonna let a poor creature die just because of Kilbane!" Shane snapped. "Come here little guy." He removed the plastic holders from around the neck. "Looks like you got a little cut. I can fix that." He sent off a very small amount of bio-energy into the bird and its cut healed.

"Where the hell did you learn **that **trick?" Stingray's jaw dropped.

"I told you," Shane gave him a look. "I had to learn to adapt and survive on my own."

"You didn't even touch your badge," Stingray observed as Shane let the bird go.

"I don't need it for small things," Shane admitted. "Over the years my bio-defenses evolved thanks to my implant."

"So what you're saying is that one day you'll be able to do what the rest of us can without it?" Stingray snorted. "Wonderful!"

"Relax Stingray, I'm still a long ways off from that," Shane gave him a look. "Now where's Kilbane's hideout?"

"Over there," Stingray pointed.

"Well be quiet," Shane told him.

"Since when do you give the orders?" Stingray snarled. "I'm the one who's got Walsh!"

"You want to save Darkstar? We do it **my** way!" Shane snarled.

"Fine! Follow me!" Stingray snorted.

They soon came upon a small cabin in a clearing with a large starship nearby. "In there," Stingray snarled. "So what's the plan?"

"I think we should take a peek," Shane noticed there was a tree nearby a skylight on top of the cabin. "Let's get on the roof and see where she is."

It wasn't hard for the two Supertroopers to quietly make their way to the roof of the cabin and look inside. Kilbane was pacing back and forth. "Bruce! Bruce! Bring her out here! We're gonna have guests any minute!"

"Okey dokey Kilbane!" Bruce the robot entered in with Darkstar. Her wrists were tied behind her back.

"Tie her there," Kilbane told the robot and indicated a strong support beam.

"Whatever you say Kilbane, you are the boss!" Bruce the robot said in a voice that sounded very familiar.

"What the hell is with the robot that looks like Commander Walsh?" Shane blinked.

"You got me," Stingray blinked. "This is new."

Then Shane noticed something else. Darkstar had gotten larger and fatter. But an unusual kind of bulge he had only seen a few times before on other women.

"She's…Pregnant?" Shane's jaw dropped.

"Yeah," Stingray sighed.

"But…That's impossible," Shane blinked. "Supertroopers aren't supposed to…"

"We're not supposed to do a **lot** of things," Stingray cut him off. "What? You think you're the only one of us that gets to do weird stuff?"

"I guess," Shane let out a breath. "Well that explains it. No wonder Kilbane was able to overpower her. There's **no way** she would have…"

Just then the roar of an engine was heard. The two men crouched down and saw the other renegade Supertroopers drive up in some kind of all terrain vehicle. "I told you bozos to turn right at that giant tree!" Brainchild snapped.

"Sorry, Brainchild," Gravestone indicated a chicken perched on his shoulder. "But Fred Junior was so sure it was the other way."

"A bird brain getting directions from a bird brain," Jackhammer snarled.

"Watch it Jackhammer or I'll clobber you and Fred Junior will peck your eyes out!" Gravestone snapped as they entered the cabin.

"Try anything and I'll get out my deep fryer!" Jackhammer snapped.

"I really need to meet new people," Chimera snarled.

"What are **they** doing here?" Shane glared at Stingray. "You said Kilbane would be alone!"

"Don't look at me!" Stingray snapped. "I'm just as surprised as you are!"

"All right Kilbane," Brainchild asked. "What's this latest plan you have? And…What's Darkstar doing here?"

"She's my insurance policy," Kilbane smirked.

"When Stingray and Goose get here Kilbane you are going to wish you were never decanted!" Darkstar struggled with her bonds. "You always were a coward who could never take on Shane!"

"Shut your trap," Kilbane snarled. "You were always defending that Runt! And he was always hiding behind you! And by the looks of ya, a whale can hide behind you now!"

"Who said I was protecting him? I was trying to keep him from tearing you to pieces!" Darkstar snarled. Kilbane responded by backhanding her hard.

"BASTARD!" Stingray howled and used his optic blasts to break a hole in the window and jumped through it. "YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT!"

"Yeah Stingray, just blast your way through without a plan," Shane grumbled before joining him on the floor.

"Well Stingray it looks like you lived up to your end of the bargain and brought the Runt after all!" Kilbane laughed. Then he got blasted by Stingray's optic blasts.

"I'm going to tear you to pieces for what you did to Darkstar!" Stingray snarled.

"Try it…" Kilbane snarled as he changed his mass to a red stone like substance. "I'm going to enjoy wiping the walls with your blood!"

"And I'm going to enjoy kicking your behind and trashing that Commander Walsh tin can look alike!" Shane snapped.

"Should we?" Gravestone held up a blaster.

"Hold on," Brainchild stopped him. "Let's see where this goes first. I wanna watch this."

"Just what exactly is the deal with that tin can that looks like Commander Walsh anyway?" Shane barked. "Got some weird fantasies I **don't **want to know about?"

"What do you mean **looks **like Commander Walsh?" Kilbane blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"What are you blind or something?" Shane snapped. "That robot looks and sounds just like Commander Walsh! Like you didn't know that when you built it!"

Kilbane then looked at Bruce as if he was seeing it for the first time. "Oh no…" Kilbane felt sick. "No…No…No…No! THIS IS NOT HAPPENING! THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!" He changed back to his regular form. "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!"

"You just **had** to tell him didn't you, Runt?" Brainchild groaned.

"You all **knew?**" Kilbane barked.

"Uh yeah it was kind of obvious Kilbane," Chimera gave him a look.

"Obvious to everyone but **you,"** Jackhammer chuckled.

"It's got to do with his Daddy Complex," Gravestone explained. "You see a ways back we all figured out that the real reason Kilbane hates you is that he loved Commander Walsh and sees you as a rival!"

"THAT IS A TOTAL LIE!" Kilbane shouted. "I DON'T LOVE COMMANDER WALSH!"

"Sure Kilbane," Darkstar mocked. "You just made a robot that looks and sounds like him and spend all your time with him because you **hate** Walsh."

"This can't be happening!" Kilbane roared. "Tell me I did **not **make a robot companion that looks and sounds like Commander Walsh!"

"You did," Shane remarked.

"No, no, no!" Kilbane snapped. "And I do **not** spend all my time with that robot!"

"Just a few nights we sing songs by the campfire," Bruce spoke cheerfully. "Go shooting together. Flying around in our starship and blasting things! And I love listening to you talk about your feelings for hours!"

"They were **not **my feelings!" Kilbane snapped. "They were just random observations and the occasional rant about Gooseman! I mean it's nice for **someone** to be interested in what I have to say once in a while…Oh no…"

"We even made up songs on how great Kilbane is and how rotten Goose is," Bruce spoke. "And once when we got bored we tried a game of baseball!"

"Not to mention all the fishing trips we took together…" Kilbane blinked. He was in shock. "I feel so dirty…And not in a good way!"

"How do you think Commander Walsh is gonna feel when he hears about this?" Shane mocked.

"Oh stars…" Kilbane was in shock. "I'm sick…I'm a sick…sick man!"

"You're just figuring this out **now?**" Shane mocked. "We've all known this for **years!**"

"Someone needs a hug!" Bruce held up his arms to Kilbane.

"AAAAAHHHH!" Kilbane screamed as he attacked Bruce and started tearing him to pieces.

"I told you he had a Daddy Complex," Gravestone shrugged. "It's okay Kilbane. No one expects you to be as smart as I am."

"YOU ARE NOT MY FATHER! NOT MY FATHER! I DON'T NEED A FATHER! I AM A FREAKING SUPERTROOPER! AAAAAHHH!" Kilbane had changed his hands to metal and was pounding the daylights out of the robot.

"Sonny…Boy….Reerrrrrrrrr…" Bruce sputtered his last words before Kilbane chopped his head off.

"There's Freud in action for you," Shane quipped.

"AAAAAAAH!" Kilbane ran screaming from the building. "I DON'T LOVE COMMANDER WALSH! HE IS NOT MY FATHER! THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE! AAAAAHHHH!"

"Well that's something you don't see everyday," Shane blinked.

"I wanted you to take down Kilbane but I have to admit that wasn't the way I thought it was gonna go," Stingray blinked. "Don't get me wrong. It was effective but still…"

"Typical," Chimera snorted. "Kilbane finally has Gooseman where he wants him and then he blows it by having a **nervous breakdown**!"

"Well it had to happen sooner or later," Gravestone shrugged. "He never was very stable. Right, Fred Junior?"

"Buckaw!"

"So what's the story here?" Brainchild asked Stingray as he untied Darkstar. "And holy macrobites! Why the hell is Darkstar so fat?"

"Have one piece of pie too many dear?" Chimera snorted.

"I'm **pregnant,** you morons!" Darkstar snapped. "If anyone's to blame it's Stingray!"

"Pregnant?" Brainchild blinked.

"Pregnant?" Gravestone blinked. "What do you mean by pregnant?"

"It means she's going to have a baby, you twit!" Chimera snapped. Then she looked at Darkstar and made a face. "Ew!"

"I thought Supertroopers couldn't have kids," Jackhammer scratched his head.

"Obviously, we can," Stingray snapped. "I mean come on, Walsh and Nagata screwed up worse than this! I mean this isn't completely out of the realm of possibility!"

"But still…" Chimera shuddered. "Ew! How disgusting!"

"Yeah Supertroopers are supposed to be born in test tubes! Not like…That!" Jackhammer was revolted.

"Note to self: Never have sex again!" Chimera was also revolted.

"Oh yeah like you've had to fight **me** off!" Gravestone folded his arms. "You're the one who's always trying to interrupt my quality time with Fred Junior!"

"Quality time with…?" Brainchild gave him a look. Then shook his head. "Never mind! I **don't** want to know!"

"If you jerks make any more cracks about me being kidnapped by Kilbane because I was pregnant…" Darkstar made a fist.

"Hey, hey none of that was our idea!" Brainchild held up his hands. "It was just Kilbane who sunk that low!"

"Yeah that was pretty rotten how he used Darkstar against Stingray," Gravestone folded his arms. "Even if they are wimps."

"We may not like them but there are some lines even **we** won't cross," Jackhammer agreed. "He acted just like a human for his own revenge!"

"On the other hand…" Jackhammer turned around and glared at Shane. "Since the Runt's here **anyway**…"

"No sense in wasting a good opportunity," Brainchild took out his blaster and pointed it at Shane. The other Renegade Supertroopers did so.

"Stingray! We can't let them do this!" Darkstar whispered to her lover.

"Why **not?**" Stingray gave her a look.

"Because we owe him…" Darkstar told him. "He let us go **twice**. No matter what else he's done…"

"I swear woman…" Stingray gritted his teeth. "If **anyone else** asked me…"

"All right Gooseman!" Brainchild grinned. "You're finally gonna get what you deserve!"

Then suddenly his blaster was knocked out of his hand by Stingray's optic blasts. "NYAAHHH! OW!"

"What the…?" Chimera turned around and before she knew it the entire room went black. "I CAN'T SEE!"

"I can't see either!" Jackhammer shouted.

"Everything's dark! AHHH!" Gravestone shot his blaster randomly.

"OW! YOU SHOT ME IN THE ASS YOU JERK!" Jackhammer shouted.

"Sorry!" Gravestone remarked.

"You're just damn lucky my bio-defenses are working!" Jackhammer snapped. "But you won't be lucky once I get my hands on you! Wherever you are…"

"OW! Who stepped on my foot?" Brainchild shouted.

"I don't know but if someone doesn't get his hand off my ass…" Chimera snarled and grabbed whoever was closest to her.

"BUCKAWWW!"

"Sorry Fred…" Chimera grunted as she dropped the chicken. "Gravestone keep that stupid bird under control!"

"Fred Junior is not stupid!" Gravestone snapped. Then everything came into focus again. "Hey I can see again! What happened? Did the lights go out?"

"Only on your brain," Jackhammer rubbed his behind.

"That bitch Darkstar must have used her powers on us!" Chimera fumed.

"WELL WHY DIDN'T YOU USE YOUR POWERS ON HER?" Brainchild shouted.

"SHE TOOK ME BY SURPRISE! WHO KNEW SOMEONE THAT FAT COULD MOVE SO FAST!" Chimera roared. "Anyway I didn't see any of **you** doing anything to help!"

"I couldn't see **period!**" Gravestone snapped. "So don't yell at me!"

"Come on! If we don't stop bickering they're gonna get away!" Brainchild shouted. "After them!"

They ran outside and saw Kilbane banging his head against the tree. "Why? Why? Why?" He howled. "Why did I **do** that?"

"A question we ask all the time," Jackhammer groaned.

"I think he blew a circuit in his only brain cell," Brainchild remarked.

"Better take him with us," Chimera made a motion and Gravestone dragged Kilbane to his ship.

It didn't take the Supertroopers long to fly off the planet and to chase Stingray's ship through the stars. "Somebody do something and shoot them!" Brainchild snapped.

"Where the hell are the lasers on this thing?" Chimera snapped as she flew the ship. "Kilbane! Where are the lasers? Kilbane?"

Kilbane however was sitting in a fetal position rocking back and forth. "Not my father…Not my father…Don't need a father…Don't have a father…Don't **want** a father…Do I? Don't I?"

"Kilbane, if you're through having a freak out could you mind giving us a hand tracking down the Runt and his accomplices?" Brainchild asked sarcastically. "Or do you need a few minutes sobbing in the corner crying for your **Daddy?" **

"Daddy? Walsh is Daddy?" Kilbane was in shock. "No…Not Daddy…"

"For crying out loud!" Chimera snarled as she put the ship on auto pilot. "Let me handle this! SNAP OUT OF IT YOU JERK!" She punched him in the face.

Kilbane sprawled backwards. "Better now?" Chimera snapped.

"Uh…Better kick me a couple times…" Kilbane remarked in a woozy voice.

"Okay if you insist," Brainchild shrugged. Then the Supertroopers started kicking him.

"OW! OW! OW! HEY! DON'T KICK ME IN THE FACE! YIKES! OKAY I CHANGED MY MIND! KNOCK IT OFF!" Kilbane shot up after being kicked rather hard repeatedly.

"Feel better?" Jackhammer asked sarcastically.

"Sorry! I went away for a while but I'm back now!" Kilbane snapped. "What were we doing again?"

"Goose…Darkstar and Stingray…" Brainchild gave him a look. "We want to blast them into sub atomic particles."

"Oh right! Right! Got it!" Kilbane shook his head. A familiar murderous look was in his eyes. "Back in the game now! Let's blast 'em!"

"Finally!" Chimera snapped as she returned to flying the ship. "They're jumping into hyperspace!"

"So follow them!" Brainchild snapped.

"I **am** following them!" Chimera snapped. "Why don't you do something **useful** for a change?"

"Okay I've got a lock on their ship!" Kilbane fired and it hit their engine. "Bye Bye Runt!"

"They just jumped out of hyperspace!" Chimera shouted.

"So? Follow them!" Brainchild shouted. They ended up in a small solar system. "So where are they?"

"According to these scanners they're somewhere on one of two jungle planets or the big rocky one," Kilbane looked at the instruments.

"Well which one is it?" Jackhammer snapped.

"I don't know! I've been meaning to get this thing fixed," Kilbane scratched his head. "In fact Bruce was supposed to…"

Then Kilbane's eyes widened and he started banging his head against the console. "NO! NO! NO! NO!"

"And the search for Supertrooper Supremacy takes yet **another **detour," Brainchild sighed.

"And we're trying to kill Gooseman and the others before Kilbane…**Why**?" Gravestone asked.

"I have no idea," Chimera sighed.

**Next: A bit more drama as Goose learns about a secret from his past! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Quit IV**

Shane, Darkstar and Stingray were fine. However their ship wasn't. They had crashed on one of the jungle planets. While Shane was trying to work on the ship to make it work again, Darkstar and Stingray were resting in a makeshift camp nearby.

"Never thought I'd end up in this situation…" Stingray grumbled. "On the run from the other troopers with the Runt."

"Stingray please…" Darkstar sighed. "I do not **need** this right now!"

"Sorry Love," Stingray sighed. "Just seeing Gooseman brings back all those old feelings again. He always has to act like he's the best, especially in front of you!"

"Ray we've been over this," Darkstar groaned. "I love **you.** Not him."

"Or at least the way I want you to love me," Stingray growled. "I know you still see him as that lost little pup but he's not that anymore. You know what a threat he is to us. I mean look at where we are now!"

"I'd like to think Kilbane had something to do with it," Darkstar gave him a look.

"Maybe but if it weren't for **him **we'd…" Stingray fumed.

"Stingray, Kilbane has never liked **either** of us and you know it," Darkstar stopped him. "He would have gone after us sooner or later anyway. It was just bad luck and bad timing that this happened."

"Bad luck huh? Seems to be a theme with Gooseman," Stingray snorted. He saw Shane walking up to them. "Speak of the devil."

"Well the good news that she's not too badly damaged," Shane let out a breath. "The bad news is that she's out of gas."

"Wonderful," Stingray mocked. "So all we need to do is buy us a round of petrol and we'll be fine!"

"It's not my fault we crashed you know?" Shane snapped. "We were shot at! You ought to be thankful we're still alive!"

"Oh yeah thanks a lot Goose!" Stingray snapped. "Thanks for getting us stuck on this mud ball of a planet!"

"Will you two knock it off?" Darkstar snapped as she struggled to get to her feet. "Look, like it or not we're stuck here for a while. Stingray get some more wood for the fire and look around while I have a word with Goose."

Stingray fumed. "You heard me," She growled. Stingray grunted and left.

"Darkstar I…I'm sorry about all of this," Shane sighed. "About Kilbane. I never intended to get you caught up in this stupid feud the two of us have."

"Whether you intended it or not it doesn't matter," Darkstar sighed. "And knowing Kilbane he'd blast anyone for any excuse. What we need to do is to find a way out of this mess."

"The radio still works but I haven't used it in case…" Shane let out a breath. "Well I think you can figure out why."

"I don't think BETA would understand the situation," Darkstar rubbed a hand over her swollen belly.

"So uh…You're uh, pregnant," Shane said uncomfortably. "How did that happen?"

"Goose I know back at Wolf Den they didn't exactly go into certain details, but I would think by **now**…" Darkstar gave him a look.

"You know what I meant!" Shane said defensively. "I thought Supertroopers couldn't breed."

"So did we. So it was a huge surprise to the two of us when I kept getting fatter but I couldn't figure out why," Darkstar rolled his eyes. "But I've never seen Stingray happier than when we found out."

"He was happy about this?"

"Believe it or not, yes," Darkstar told him. "I was so scared telling him. I was afraid he'd yell at me or something. You know what he did? He just took me in his arms and told me that this was the happiest day of his life. That no matter what he'd take care of the two of us. Stingray may be a stubborn hot head but…He's always loved me Shane. You can't deny that."

Shane didn't say anything but sighed. He looked at her face. Her face had always been so gentle and kind. That was what he loved about her. Her ability to be kind as well as strong. He could see her love and strength in her eyes.

Her green eyes. A lighter shade of green than his but still…

Then Shane realized the truth. Why he and Darkstar could never be together. And maybe why deep down she could never love him the way he thought he wanted her to love him.

"I just realized something," Shane smiled sadly. "Funny how in all these years I never noticed."

"Noticed what?" Darkstar asked.

"Your eyes," He said softly. "They're exactly like mine. I mean they're a softer shade of green but the shape…"

Shane stopped. "It's not important. What is important is that we get you and the baby out of here as fast as possible."

"And Stingray."

"That's what I meant by the baby," Shane smirked.

"Do you want to feel it?"

"Feel what?" Shane blinked. "You mean…"

"It's all right, Goose," Darkstar smiled as she put his hand on her belly. "It won't bite."

Shane sensed movement from inside. "Wow…" He blinked, marveling at the miracle before him. "Hey! I think it kicked!"

"I **know** it kicked," Darkstar groaned. "I think this kid wants to be a soccer player or something."

"Wow," Shane was surprised as the baby kicked again. "He's a strong little guy isn't he?"

"It could be a strong **girl** you know?" Darkstar raised an eyebrow. "And we're both hungry."

Shane remembered something. "Here I have some extra ration bars. Have them."

"What the hell are you doing?" Stingray snapped as Shane started to give Darkstar some ration bars. He slapped the bars out of his hand. "Get away from her!"

"Stingray! What are you doing?" Darkstar snapped.

"I'm just giving her some food! She needs extra nutrients in her condition!" Shane snapped.

"Look Runt," Stingray poked him in the chest. "It's my baby, **my** responsibility. The only one that's going to take care of the both of them is **me!** I take care of Darkstar! Not you!"

"Yes and you've been doing such a **great job** haven't you? I'm just trying to help!" Shane shouted at him.

"Oh yeah like you **helped** us all back at Wolf Den all those years ago!" Stingray shouted. "If I didn't kidnap Commander Walsh you'd help us all into the Cryocrypt!"

"That's not true! If you'd just told me the truth I would have come anyway!" Shane told him.

"You're a freaking bounty hunter! How the hell can I trust you?" Stingray shouted.

"Oh that's rich coming from **you!**" Shane snapped. "Not only are you a wanted criminal, you're freaking **insane!"**

"Will you two morons shut the hell up?" Darkstar shouted at the top of her lungs. "God it's like we never left Wolf Den! You two are acting as immature and thick headed as always!"

"I'm not the one who won't accept help when he's clearly in over his head!" Shane snapped.

"You think I can't do anything can you?" Stingray yelled.

"Nothing but get yourself in trouble which I have to constantly bail you out of!" Shane yelled back.

"Oh look at this! The great Galaxy Ranger thinks he has to ride in on his bright shiny horse to save the day," Stingray sneered.

"Someone has to clean up after your **messes!"** Shane snapped.

"Oh yeah? Well when I'm through with you someone is gonna clean up after your teeth!" Stingray prepared to attack.

"Go ahead and try," Shane growled. "I'll just clean your clock like I did the **last** time!"

"STINGRAY! GOOSEMAN! STAND DOWN!" Darkstar screamed. Both men stopped. "I'VE HAD IT WITH YOUR TESTOSTERONE LADEN BICKERING! THE AIR IS SO THICK WITH IT IT'S CHOKING ME! SO KNOCK IT OFF BEFORE I KNOCK YOUR BLOCKS OFF! GOT IT?"

Silence dominated the air for a few minutes. "I'm sorry Darkstar," Shane let out a breath. "I just…"

"I know Shane," Darkstar sighed. "Stars what happened to all of us? We all used to be so close. What changed us so much?"

"Here's a little reminder," Stingray glared at Shane. "When he betrayed us back at Wolf Den."

"I didn't have a choice! And if you recall I let you two escape!" Shane snapped. "How many times are we going to go **over **this?"

"You did have a choice Shane," Darkstar told him.

"Yes either let the Supertroopers tear everything in sight apart or freeze them, some choice!" Shane snapped. "In case you haven't noticed most of the others aren't exactly playing with a full set of knives! Especially you Stingray! Which reminds me, what did you do with the Commander?"

"What is he talking about?" Darkstar looked at Stingray.

"Where is Commander Walsh?" Shane snarled.

"Did you kidnap him?" Darkstar's eyes widened. "Stingray! That's all we need is more trouble!"

"I had no choice! I had to make sure that the Runt would help us!" Stingray told her. "So I grabbed the Commander and stuffed him in one of those Cryo Simulators back at Wolf Den."

"You did **what**…?" Shane's eyes widened in horror.

"Just decided to give him a taste of what he's been giving us!" Stingray snapped. "It's time we got some revenge! Especially for what he's done to Darkstar!"

"Darkstar? What does this have to do with her?" Shane was puzzled.

"It's nothing Shane," Darkstar gave Stingray a look.

"It's not nothing when she wakes up in the middle of the night screaming and crying because of that damn Cryocrypt!" Stingray snapped.

"Darkstar?" Shane was puzzled.

"It's…Ever since I found out I was pregnant I've been having nightmares," Darkstar sighed. "About a few strange things. The Cryocrypt mostly."

"Oh," Shane said. Many a Supertrooper had nightmares due to the conditioning treatments at Wolf Den. Where young Supertroopers were forcibly stuffed into partial cryogenics in order to condition them to be afraid of the Cryocrypt.

In order to control them.

"So you put Walsh in the Cryo Simulators?" Darkstar asked Stingray.

"Wasn't that hard to sneak in there," Stingray snorted. "Base was deserted. Figured it would be the last place anyone would look."

"I suppose," Darkstar nodded.

"You're actually **agreeing **with him on this?" Shane was stunned.

"We do what we have to in order to survive," Darkstar gave him a look. "Not all of us had an easy life after Wolf Den."

"EASY? **EASY?**" Shane roared. "You think **my life** was **easy?** You have no idea what I went through…How alone I was! How I had to struggle to survive! I had to put up with so much crap day in and day out from those bastards at the Board of Leaders. You're the ones who had it easy! You **ran away!"**

"We had to run away!" Darkstar snapped. "Don't you understand that?"

"No you didn't!" Shane shouted. "If you stayed…"

"We would have been frozen like yesterday's popsicles!" Stingray snarled.

"NO!" Shane shouted. "Commander Walsh saved me! He would have saved you too!"

"Oh come on Shane! Even **you** can't believe that!" Darkstar snapped.

"It's the truth!" Shane snapped. "Why else would he risk his career if he…"

"Because he actually **liked** you, Gooseman!" Stingray cut him off. "I don't know why but for some reason you were the favorite!"

"I was never the favorite! He treated me like every other trooper!" Shane snapped.

"I didn't say he **treated** you any differently," Stingray snapped. "He just **liked** you better than the rest of us! We could tell!"

"What are you talking about?" Shane asked.

Stingray growled. "He looked at you differently especially when he thought no one else was watching. Like he was proud of you or something. I can't **count** how many times we overheard him say how you were the most advanced of us or the best of the lot to Nagata or Sawyer. Do you want to know **why** a lot of us hated you, Gooseman? Because you were a **threat!** We were all yesterday's models and you come along, new and improved."

"That wasn't my fault!" Shane snapped. "I couldn't help being born last! Or how my genes were designed!"

"It's not just that," Darkstar sighed. "There's something else…"

"Don't tell him!" Stingray snapped.

"He has a right to know," Darkstar told him. "He has to know the truth."

"What truth?" Shane asked. "What are you talking about?"

"It happened a long time ago," Darkstar sighed. "When you were ten years old. After…After your first hunt. When you were the only survivor against Slasher."

"I remember," Shane growled.

"Do you remember they often put you alone in training simulations after that?" Darkstar asked.

"So I could catch up to the other troopers," Shane nodded. "What of it?"

"They were watching you Shane," Darkstar said. "What they didn't know was that **we** were watching **them.**"

**So what's the secret? Find out next time! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Quit V**

**Wolf Den Base: Eleven years ago.**

_"This is so stupid," Young Kilbane snarled as several Supertroopers moved through a large crawlspace. _

_"Quiet Kilbane!" Young Darkstar snapped. "I want to find out why they're giving Goose extra training!"_

_"Isn't it obvious? So that he can keep up with us?" Kilbane snapped. _

_"Then why is that guy from the Board of Leaders here?" Brainchild told him. "I agree with Darkstar. Something's up! Here it is!"_

_The Supertroopers had come to a grate behind a large control room. Commander Walsh and Garson were watching a ten year old Shane Gooseman run through a shooting simulation. _

_"Amazing. This is a level ten simulation and Gooseman is going through it like it's nothing," Commander Walsh was stunned. "Hasn't missed a single shot yet."_

_"You designed him well," Garson nodded. "Clearly this final trooper is definitely the most valuable of the lot." _

_"Is he __**kidding?**__" Kilbane hissed. He was shushed by the others._

_"All the Supertroopers are valuable Garson," Walsh told him. _

_"Please. I've read the reports. Most of the older troopers are good for little else than cannon fodder! We both know the only trooper worth a damn here is Gooseman," Garson remarked. "He's truly the most gifted of the lot."_

_"Yes even though he's three years younger than the others he has ten times the potential the other Supertroopers have," Walsh said with pride. _

_"Agreed. The Board has special plans for that one once he's finished his training," Garson said. "I'm recommending that Gooseman will be made an officer above the other Supertroopers. Not to mention when the time is right that his DNA will be passed on to the next generation of Supertroopers. Possibly cloning him might be the best course of action. Of course that all depends on the Supertrooper project's approval and how well it performs out in the field."_

_"Naturally," Walsh nodded. "But something tells me Gooseman will pass with flying colors. He has a drive and an intelligence I've never seen before in a Supertrooper." _

_"I'll bet…" Brainchild grumbled under his breath. The others gave him a harsh look in order to shush him. _

_"There's another benefit," Garson said. "He does have those tracker genes implanted into him, right?"_

_"Yes," Walsh nodded. "As per the specifications of his genetic programming. Of course all Supertroopers are programmed to be hunters."_

_"But this one will be a true hunter," Garson said. "If we end up getting a rogue trooper or two…" _

_"He'll hunt them and dispatch them," Walsh told him. "You have my guarantee." _

**Present Day:**

"No…" Shane's eyes widened in horror as Darkstar finished the story. Then he grew sober. "So that's it. That's why…That's why the others never really accepted me is it?"

"Why would anyone accept someone that was trained to take them out?" Stingray hissed. "Like a wolf being raised among a flock of sheep."

"You see Goose, you were the favored one," Darkstar told him. "It didn't matter what happened to us. You were more valuable than all of us put together."

"I didn't know that," Shane frowned. "I never wanted…"

"It didn't matter what you wanted or **not**," Stingray growled. "That's the way it was. That's the way it is."

"I see…" Shane thought. "That does explain a few things. Maybe not **all** the members of the Board of Leaders thought I was so valuable after all?"

"What?" Darkstar folded her arms. "You're saying that the Board of Leaders had something to do with what happened at Wolf Den?"

"Somebody wanted me destroyed that day," Shane growled. "It was just dumb luck that I wasn't exposed to X-Factor."

"Luck? Or maybe your precious Commander made sure that you were out of the way as they gassed the rest of us!" Stingray sneered.

"No! That's **not** what happened!" Shane snapped.

"Oh yes it is! He made sure you were out of the way so you'd be safe while they finished us off!" Stingray yelled.

"I know him," Shane said. "Walsh would never have allowed that to happen. I know it."

"You really **believe** that don't you?" Stingray snapped. "Stars Runt, the old man's really got you wrapped around his finger doesn't he? You're so freaking tame it's not funny!"

"At least it's better than being a renegade," Shane hissed. "Or a Supertrooper."

"You really hate us don't you?" Darkstar's eyes widened.

Shane sighed. "More like I hated **myself,**" He admitted. "I hated what I'd become. That's part of the reason why I didn't allow myself to let go and take the genetic enabling factor. It would have been so easy to just take it and forget but I couldn't…"

"Wait…You **didn't** take the genetic enabling factor?" Darkstar blinked.

"I hated what it did to me, how it made me feel," Shane admitted. "And it made all of you act…Well pretty much the way Stingray is acting now! A petty, vindictive trigger happy lunatic with no thought of what would happen to the rest of his squad! So I stopped taking it. I pretended to swallow it and then threw it away when no one was looking."

"So that was it," Stingray scratched his head. "That's why you were acting so weak. It all makes sense now."

"Weak? I was still just as good…No **better** than all of you without it!" Shane snapped.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Darkstar asked.

"Can you honestly say if I had told you to stop taking the enabling factor you would have done it?" Shane snapped. "I saw how all the Supertroopers acted every time those pills were passed around! You were all hooked on it!"

"Except for you…" Darkstar realized.

"It made me sick," Shane told her. "After the first dose I knew it was doing something to me so I stopped taking it."

"Maybe the real reason you didn't tell anyone is that you knew if you couldn't handle the stuff it would be a one way trip to the Freezer?" Stingray hissed.

"I have to admit that did cross my mind," Shane told him. "But the whole situation seemed wrong…"

"I'll tell you what's wrong," Stingray growled. "The day you let Commander Walsh and Dr. Nagata experiment on us! You knew what was going to happen, didn't you?"

"NO!" Shane protested.

"You knew! You wanted us all out of the way to save yourself!" Stingray roared.

"That's **not** what happened!" Shane shouted. "Neither Commander Walsh nor Dr. Nagata had anything to do with the genetic accelerator! It was…"

BOOM!

"What the…?" Shane looked above and saw Kilbane's ship flying overhead, blasting the ground indiscriminately. "Damn it! They found us!"

**Here comes a big battle! Wait until you see what happens next! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Quit VI**

"They've found us!" Shane shouted. He readied the blaster he had found in Stingray's ship. They ran into the jungle growth for cover as the starship randomly shot out blasters. "We've got to run for cover or else we're dead!"

Suddenly the star ship seemed to rock back and forth. Then it rapidly descended. They heard a large crash in the brush. "Or not…" Shane blinked.

"Five will get you ten Kilbane did that," Stingray groaned. "He's an even worse pilot than you are Goose!"

"Stingray…" Darkstar chided.

"Well he got us stranded here!" Stingray snapped.

"Look we can play the blame game later," Shane said. "We need to get to cover and…"

"Who died and made **you** boss?" Stingray snapped.

Shane knew that tone of voice. It was the tone indicating when all Supertroopers were giving into the madness inside of him. "Stingray listen…" Shane was hoping that Stingray would see reason.

It wasn't going to happen. "No! You listen! We're doing things **my way** now!"

"Ray please listen…" Darkstar pleaded.

But he was angry. "This is all **your **fault! You're the one Kilbane wants but you dragged us into it! We have enough problems trying to survive, worrying about the baby and all those stupid dreams we've been having about the Cryocrypt and mermaids!"

"Wait did you say **mermaids?**" Shane did a double take. "I know about those dreams! Stingray, Darkstar they're…"

"JUST SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW **ANYTHING!"** Stingray howled, giving into the madness and tackled Shane. Shane had no choice but to fight back.

"Stars…" Darkstar groaned. She knew there was nothing more she could do until the madness passed. "Not now! Stingray why did you have to have an episode **now?"**

"Kilbane, you moron!" Brainchild snapped as the rest of the Supertroopers came out of the brush. "I told you not to bang your head against the computer!"

"Me? It was Chimera's lousy piloting and that stupid chicken of hers that caused the ship to crash!" Kilbane snapped.

"It's not **my** stupid chicken! It's…"Chimera began when she saw Stingray and Shane fighting. "What the? Now what's going on?"

"First they're **helping **Goose and now they're **fighting **him?" Brainchild snapped. "It's getting so you need a scorecard to figure out who's on who's side!"

"I should have known," Jackhammer scoffed. "Stingray wasn't helping the Runt. He was helping **himself** so he could beat the snot out of him!"

"That guy always was a little selfish," Gravestone remarked. "So do we all just jump in or what?"

"Let 'em fight," Kilbane decided. "Then we blast apart the winner! If it's the Runt, fine. If it's Stingray, we blast him because he took out the Runt before we did!"

"Finally a **sensible** plan," Brainchild agreed. "I guess banging your head like that did do some good Kilbane. For once."

Shane and Ray were fighting and punching each other. But as enraged as Stingray was, Shane was clearly the better fighter. "Stingray! Listen to me! It's that damn X-factor in your system! It's making you behave irrationally!" Shane pleaded.

"Shut up you weak little…" Stingray charged at him. But Shane dodged aside. "STAND STILL AND FIGHT!"

Then a thought occurred to Shane. "The X-Factor…it's like a virus isn't it? You can't help it! Maybe…It worked before…"

"I'm gonna tear you to pieces!" Stingray charged at Shane. "Always making me look bad in front of Darkstar!"

Shane stood his ground and grabbed Stingray. "Sorry Stingray but if this brings you back to your senses…" He then focused his bio-defenses and gold energy began to shine around him.

"What is this? You gonna light bright me to death?" Stingray snapped. Then the energy surrounded him. "Hey! What are you doing? Stop it! Stop it!"

"No I won't! I'm going to snap you out of this madness if it's the last thing I do!" Shane shouted as he poured his healing energy into Stingray. He had been focusing on his meditation exercises soon after he learned this new skill so he could call forth this new abiltiy with his bio defenses. And it seemed to work.

However, as it so often was in the life of Shane Gooseman, nothing was ever easy.

"AAAAHH! IT HURTS! IT HURTS!" Stingray screamed. He tried to get away but Shane held on.

"Shane? What are you doing?" Darkstar gasped.

"Trying to bring your boyfriend back to his senses!" Shane gritted his teeth. "Come on Ray! Snap out of it!"

"What the hell is Gooseman **doing?**" Kilbane blinked.

"I dunno…" Jackhammer shifted uncomfortably. "But I don't like the sound of it."

"AAAAH!" Stingray set off a powerful optic blast that shattered his sunglasses. The sunglasses fell off. Suddenly the blast stopped. But Stingray kept screaming.

Under his shirt, Shane felt the crystal he kept around his neck react. He knew something was happening but wasn't exactly sure what. But it was affecting Stingray.

"GET OUT OF MY MIND!" Stingray screamed. He yanked free of Shane. The glow stopped. Stingray fell to the ground violently shaking.

"What did you **do** to him?" Darkstar ran to Stingray.

"I tried to get the X-Factor out of his system," Shane explained.

"You did what?" Darkstar yelled. Stingray groaned. "Stingray? Stingray?"

"What…What did you **do **to me?" Stingray whimpered. "My powers…I can't use my powers! My eye blasts! They're gone!"

Stingray wasn't the only one horrified. The Renegade Supertroopers witnessed the whole thing. "Did the Runt just do what I **think** he did?" Jackhammer gasped.

"He took away his powers with a single touch…" Brainchild was in shock. "Don't get close to him! He'll do the same to us!"

"So we'll just use our **blasters** on him!" Kilbane roared as he fired. Shane easily ducked the blasts and blasted the weapon out of Kilbane's hand. "OW!"

"Smart move Kilbane," Brainchild taunted. "Try to out shoot the one Supertrooper that's better than all of us when it comes to weapons!"

"For once the little toad is right," Chimera agreed. "We can't take him on now! We have to get out of here before he steals our powers too!"

Kilbane looked like he was going to protest at first, but then he realized for once in his life Shane had some kind of edge over him. And he didn't like it one bit.

"Another time Runt!" Kilbane snarled. "When I figure out how you pulled off that little trick!" He fled with the other Renegade Supertroopers behind him.

"Another time…" Shane growled. He turned and saw Stingray get up, still shaking. "Stingray I…"

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Stingray screamed in terror.

"Stingray I…" Shane began to realize that something went horribly wrong.

Stingray howled and fled into the jungle in fear. "Stingray wait!" Shane protested. Then he saw Darkstar look at him. Her eyes were filled with fear, horror…and hate.

"I never wanted to believe it…" She looked at him in horror. "Even after everything…I always thought that deep down you never wanted to turn against us. That you weren't our enemy…"

"Darkstar I'm not! I…" Shane pleaded. "I didn't mean to…"

"Didn't **mean** to?" Darkstar shouted. "Like you didn't **mean **to turn on us? Like you didn't **mean** to get us involved in you and Kilbane's personal little war? Stingray was right! You are a threat to us! Everything you touch becomes **poisoned!"**

"No…Darkstar I didn't…" Shane reached out to her.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Darkstar shrieked. "YOU'RE NOT ONE OF US SHANE! YOU'RE NOT A SUPERTROOPER! YOU'RE A MONSTER!"

Shane stiffened. He was in shock. He couldn't say anything. His heart was breaking for a woman he once loved and knew deep down was his blood sister.

He simply stood there and watched his once and only true friend from Wolf Den flee out of his life forever.


	7. Chapter 7

**Quit VII**

Shane made his way back to the wrecked ship and called for help on the communicator. He also informed them of where Commander Walsh was but didn't go into details about how he knew.

Then he merely sat outside the ship and waited. For the first time in a long while he allowed tears to run down his face openly. The past few days had been too much to handle for him. And his emotions couldn't be controlled. So he cried. He cried at the frustration and the pain and his failure to make his dream come true.

When Zach finally picked him up in the Ranger One, his tears had dried up but he felt nothing but numbness. He barely spoke at all to Zach and didn't say anything about what happened. He just looked out the window and watched the planet fade in the distance. He knew Darkstar and Stingray were still stranded on the planet but could not tell anyone about it.

When they arrived at BETA, Shane couldn't get to the infirmary fast enough. "How is he? Commander Walsh? Is he…?"

"He's suffering from a case of mild hypothermia but other than that," Q-Ball shrugged. "Fortunately our advanced medical science will help him recover quickly."

Shane nodded and went inside to speak to Walsh alone. "Are you all right, Sir?"

"Do I **look **all right?" Walsh snapped. "That maniac Stingray shoved me in the Cryo Simulators and nearly froze me to death!"

"I **know** about those simulators, Commander," Shane's tone was colder than the Cryocrypt. "I've experienced them first hand. Like all the **other** Supertroopers. That was Stingray's point."

"Please tell me Gooseman that you at least brought Stingray back so I can shove him in the Cryocrypt myself!" Walsh snapped.

"Not exactly sir…" Shane let out a breath. "It's complicated. You see Darkstar was in trouble and…"

"I should have known! You let them go **again **didn't you?" Walsh hissed. "Don't lie to me Gooseman! I know you let Darkstar and Stingray go the first time and you did it **again!" **

"I had to…I couldn't…" Shane began.

"You couldn't? Damn it Gooseman! That's your job! Or have you **forgotten** the conditions set on you being in the Galaxy Rangers? I know you had a little crush on Darkstar but those sentiments are a weakness Shane! And a man in your position can't afford a weakness like that!"

It was like a punch to his gut topped off with a slap in the face. It was just one emotion too much for him.

"That's not fair, Commander," Shane said softly. "How would you feel if you were forced to hunt down people **you** cared about? People you once considered your friends? Of course you never thought I could feel did you? You never thought your ultimate weapon could be anything more than that. None of you ever did."

"Goose listen to me," Walsh let out a breath. "I know you have difficulties with this part of your job…"

"But you never did consider it before didn't you? No more…" Shane said softly, looking far away into nothingness. "I can't keep doing this anymore…I'm caught between two worlds…And I'm being pulled apart by both of them."

Shane stared at his hands. "I'm not a Supertrooper…I'm not a human…I'm both and nothing in the same body…Why did you make me this way? Why did you make me to be able to destroy whatever I touch?"

"What are you talking about?" Walsh growled. "What the hell are you babbling about?"

"I **know** Commander," Shane looked at him with a sadness in his eyes. "I know now you purposely set me apart from the others. Darkstar told me everything about you and Garson's plans to make me hunt them from the start. They watched you, all the other Supertroopers. They heard you wanting to make me an officer above them and hunt them down if they went out of control."

"They **spied** on us?" Walsh was stunned.

"Why did you do that? Why did you **do** that to me?" Shane asked. "I never wanted to be that. I just wanted to be like the other troopers. I just wanted them to accept me. But they never did and they never will. All my hope is gone because of you. How can I unite them if I was made to destroy them?"

"Unite them? Gooseman what the bloody blue blazes are you babbling about?"

"It doesn't matter," Shane turned away, clearly crushed. "Nothing matters now. I hurt Stingray too much. I thought I could help them but I failed. I practically destroyed Stingray because he hurt you. And you hurt Darkstar so he had to hurt you back. It's a circle I can't break."

"Wait, back up," Walsh held up his hand. "How **exactly **did you hurt Stingray?"

"It doesn't matter," Shane let out a breath. "He can't hurt you anymore. He won't dare to. It's just…It's over…" He walked away then stopped. "I'm sorry. I can't be the hunter you want me to be."

"That's not your decision Gooseman," Walsh said sternly to him.

"That's the story of my life," Shane shrugged. "I was never allowed to choose what I was before now. But I am choosing. I know now I was never a Supertrooper like the others. I'm too different. I can't be that anymore. But I'm not what you designed me to be. I'm not a bounty hunter Commander. I'll never be a bounty hunter. Not for you or anyone else!"

Shane gave him a look. "Oh I'll deal with Kilbane when we cross paths again. And yeah…I'll take on any Supertroopers committing crimes…But I'm not going to actively hunt them down like animals. Not when so called humans act **worse**."

"Gooseman, listen to me…"

"No, **you** listen Commander!" Shane snapped. "I've tried so hard to be your perfect soldier, your perfect weapon but…I don't know. I'm just sick and tired of taking the blame for **other people's** mistakes! I'm tired of this."

"It doesn't matter Shane, you don't have that luxury," Walsh frowned. "I know you're a Galaxy Ranger now, but you can never forget what you are. Where you came from."

"How can I forget? I'm **reminded** of it every single day of my life!" Shane spat.

"Gooseman," Walsh let out a breath. "We're both exhausted and not thinking clearly. I think it's best that you leave now before one of us says something he could be put on **report** on."

Shane felt defeated. "Yes, sir," He left the room.

Unknown to the two men there was a small hidden camera in the room. And it recorded everything said there. Commander Cain watched the footage in his office. "Well, well…Isn't this an interesting turn of events?" Cain smiled.

**Coming up: The conclusion! **


	8. Chapter 8

**Quit VIII**

Shane stared out the balcony of BETA Mountain. Staring at the night sky. He could hear the familiar footsteps of his friend Zach approach him. "Go ahead and yell at me for failing Zachery," Shane sighed. "It doesn't matter."

"The hell it doesn't!" Zach stared at his friend. "Shane what **happened **out there?"

Shane debated whether or not to tell him for a moment. Then decided.

"Darkstar's pregnant," Shane let out a breath. "And Stingray's the father."

"Oh…" Zach blinked.

"You don't get it Zachery!" Shane said. "Supertroopers are supposed to be born sterile! We're not supposed to have kids! We're only supposed to be born in test tubes! Do you have any idea how much of a cow Walsh will have if he hears about **this?** How badly the Board of Leaders would react to this?"

"Oh boy…" Zach sighed. "I think I can get an idea."

"I couldn't tell the Commander," Shane slumped against the balcony. "I couldn't bring Darkstar in because that would be a death sentence for the baby as well as her. And I couldn't bring in Stingray because…It wouldn't have been right to leave Darkstar and the baby defenseless! Not that it matters because Stingray is defenseless because of me! Do you see what I mean?"

"No, I don't," Zach frowned. "What do you mean defenseless?"

Shane looked ashamed. "I…I tried to heal him Zach. I tried to use my new powers to…I don't know. Drive the crazy out of him. All I managed to do was make it **worse.** Not only did I do something to his brain but…He doesn't have his powers anymore."

"His powers? You mean…?"

"I think his regular bio-defenses are working but they're slower now. And his eye blasts are gone. Yeah. I took his powers away and now he and Darkstar are out there and…" Shane made a gesture. "It's all a mess!"

"Does Walsh know…?"

"No, I didn't tell him about **that **either. I've got enough pressure being a damn bounty hunter for my own kind without…Can you see why I didn't say anything Zach?"

"I guess so," Zach agreed. "You really didn't have a choice did you? I would have done the same thing."

"Which part?"

"All of it," Zach let out a breath. "Even the part trying to use that healing to bring Stingray back to his senses. You had no idea that would happen, Shane. But maybe it's for the best he hasn't got…"

"If it was just him I wouldn't care!" Shane spat. "But Darkstar…Zachery, none of the other Supertroopers liked either Darkstar or Stingray very much. Especially Kilbane, Gravestone and Chimera! The only person they hated more was me! Without Stingray's powers to defend them and in Darkstar's condition…She's my sister, Zach."

"Goose I know how close you once felt to…"

"No, Zachery. My **real** sister," Shane gave him a look. "She's got Cheyenne's DNA in her too. I just can't believe I didn't see it before all these years!"

"Oh…"Zach blinked.

"The real kicker is that I used to have a crush on her when I was a kid," Shane moaned. "I even fell in love with her. Not that anything ever happened! She liked Stingray that way more than she liked me but still…"

"Ah," Zach winced. "**Now** I am getting the entire picture."

"Let's just say my brain can't handle this right now," Shane groaned. "Too many what ifs and what the hells are going on in there. Oh wait, I almost forgot the **best part**! I found out the real reason the other Supertroopers couldn't stand me! It seems they found out I was designed to be a bounty hunter in case they went rogue!"

"Designed?"

"Yeah turns out Walsh and Garson planned on me to not only hunt down others of my kind but replace them," Shane let out a breath. "Just clone me and freeze the others or stars knows what when they couldn't work anymore! So much for me being the one destined to unite my kind! It's all a **lie!**"

Shane closed his eyes. "When Cheyenne told me that I was the one to unite the Supertroopers I didn't want to believe it. It seemed too good to be true. Then we found the kids, Flashfire…Noah…And then…I don't know. I just felt so…For the first time in a long time I wasn't completely ashamed of being a Supertrooper. I thought maybe I could undo some of the damage I've done. Make things right again. But it was just false hope. It was all a lie. I'm nobody's savior. I'm a destroyer."

"Now cut that out! You are **not** a destroyer!" Zach said fiercely.

"That's not what Darkstar thinks," Shane hung his head down. "I always thought I could save her at least. The others…."

"Maybe you can't save **all** the Supertroopers but there are those you **can **save and you **have** saved," Zach pointed out. "Remember the kids? And Flashfire? And Noah? You saved them. They're alive because of **you**. Don't ever forget that."

"Zachery you don't get it. I always told myself that I wasn't a bounty hunter. That I wasn't programmed to hunt down my own kind. No matter what my orders were at least deep down I could believe that about myself. And now that I know the truth…"

"So **what?"** Zach barked. "You were designed to be a killer but you overcame that. You were designed to never feel human emotions but you do! It doesn't matter what you're made up of genetically! It's who you've become that matters! And I see a loyal, brave Galaxy Ranger. And a good friend."

"It's not just Cheyenne and the other Supertroopers I'm failing," Shane shook his head. "It's Commander Walsh. I tried so hard but I…He'll never trust me again."

"You know the Commander," Zach consoled his friend. "Walsh will get over it. Knowing him he's just angry at himself for getting captured."

"I hate keeping secrets from him," Shane admitted. "I mean…I wish I could tell him about Cheyenne, Niko…everything. I want to but…I don't know. Maybe I should?"

"Normally I would say you should tell Walsh everything but…" Zach frowned. "Right now I think it might be safer to keep this under wraps for a little while longer."

"Zachery…If I did something that hurt you, and Doc and Niko…I wouldn't be able to live with myself," Shane sighed. "I just can't go through what happened at Wolf Den again. If I did something that…"

"You **won't,**" Zach snapped. "I know you! You'd **never** do that! Don't give up Goose. You can deal with this. I know it."

"You really believe that?"

"Yes. And Darkstar's not lost yet. We'll think of a way to help her," Zach promised. "Don't worry. The Galaxy Rangers have been up against worse."

"Thanks Zachery," Shane let out a breath. "I'm sorry to get you involved in this."

"Goose remember all the times I failed to rescue Eliza?" Zach put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "You never let me give up then. And I'm sure as hell not going to let **you **give up **now**. Got it?"

"Got it," Shane made a weak smile. "Thanks. I needed that."

"Listen Shane, you're my best friend," Zach told him. "You've been handling this burden by yourself for far too long. No matter what happens, me and the other Rangers are going to see you through this. Even if…If worse comes to worse…We'll help you take down Kilbane and the others. We're part of a team. Your problems are our problems and don't you forget it."

"I did, for a moment," Shane let out a breath. "It's just all this information rattling around my head. It's a lot to absorb."

"Look at the bright side Shane," Zach smiled. "At least the worst is over. There's no more secrets Walsh is hiding from you that can make your life any more complicated. Come on, let's get Doc and Niko and go to my place for dinner."

Shane smiled. He realized how lucky he was to have a true friend in Zach. And he also knew sooner or later Walsh would forget about his anger with Shane.

"Good idea," Shane agreed. "And you're right. Walsh will be mad for a week or so but…I've done a lot worse and he's forgiven me for it."

"Now all you have to do is forgive yourself," Zach said.

"That's going to take a lot longer," Shane sighed. "But like you said the worst is over."

Little did Shane know that the worst was only beginning.

**Coming soon! The Tangled Web Saga! Wait til you see what's coming next! **


End file.
